Rabies Shots

Blog post #240 of 365

Our dogs needed rabies shots this year. It should have been no big deal but it turned out to not be that easy...

When we first got our dogs we took them to a shot clinic not far from home. It was through a local pet supply store. Unfortunately the pet supply store closed down. The clinic people don't come to our area anymore.

So I searched for a place to go. Vet offices make you pay office visits for all three dogs and the cheapest place would be one hundred and fifty dollars. There are shot clinics but I live in the county strip and they don't "service" dogs from my "area." So I called the county animal control.

The county gives shots two days a week for the first twenty two people to arrive. They didn't tell me exactly where to go or that the number only covers two dogs, we have three. Anyhow the animal shelter has had a rough time with getting a regular vet. It is 'vacation' season and apparently they take a hit every summer.

I called every week and most weeks they said, "we have no clinic this week" but not every week. Then I hear they are and that Wednesday morning at crack of dawn I loaded up the pups and drove over only to find out there was no clinic that day. The place was a ghost town. I called and there was no clinic. Talk about bummed. From that day forward I called at the beginning of the week and again the day before.

Five weeks later they finally they had a vet. We packed up the dogs and got there at six am. They pass out numbers at about seven and start the clinic at 7:30. Well there were already ten people in line before me. They didn't give out numbers until 7:15 and began taking dogs at 7:40. We were standing outside with no place to sit. Next time I am bringing chairs and I'll sit while I wait.

It is a good thing my son was with me. Between the two of us we got all three dogs vaccinated but we didn't even enter the building until 8:25. Once inside it went real fast. All three dogs were champs. No wetting the table, shivers, barks, growls, bites or whimpers. We were done at 8:44!!!

Then the fun began. Once home I remembered how bad it went when Lady got her last rabies shot. But it was a combination shot so I didn't know how she would do. In no time she was lethargic and panting so I gave her a Benadryl. It was recommended by the vet of one of her siblings. So I looked it up online and apparently it is a common cure for dog allergies. Especially shots and bee stings. Who knew?

Anyway day one she laid around and I could tell she wasn't feeling herself. So I wrapped a little cheese around a half tablet and gave it to her. She looked better in 30 minutes but still had some breathing issues and so I gave her the other half. She did well the remainder of the day until evening when she ate a piece of broccoli that fell when I was cooking. They all love broccoli. Weird but true. Anyhow she seemed to be breathing fine and she was a little perky after having thrown up. So I let her be.

Day two she woke up still a little off. I gave her half a Benadryl and she seemed to be fine until later. Her breathing became more labored and she was lethargic again. So I wrapped an entire tablet in cheese but she wouldn't eat it. I got my son to try getting her to eat it. He did but she didn't and she walked away from it. In a millisecond her sister, Bear, gulped it down. Really? So we tried again. Putting the pill in a soft dog treat. Within the hour both Lady and Bear were laying around sleepy. Benadryl will do that to ya. Anyway Lady was breathing better and life was grand.

Day three the dogs look and act as if they never got a shot except Lady is being a little picky about eating. Not normal. She loved getting some lettuce at lunch time and didn't go running for a treat but overall I am glad the ordeal is over.

Next time I'll know and give her a dose just before she gets her shot... Heading it off some.